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Paris - Roubaix Discussion
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 26-07-2014 14:47
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The 259 km Hell of the North: Paris - Roubaix. The culmination of the spring cobbled classics season. Although there are still cobbles to come, this is arguably the biggest classic in the sport. The best riders on the pave have been anticipating this since they signed their contracts.
Like always, the race is unlike most other cobbles races in that it is flat. The huge amount of cobbled sections more than makes up for it, and this really allows the race to be the one test of purely who is the strongest on cobbled roads, no hills to interfere.
The favorites can be determined based on results of prior seasons and the run up races this year.
 Fabian Cancellara is maybe the biggest favorite after taking Ronde van Vlaanderen a week ago. He is incredibly strong and on great form. He doesn't have a team to support him, but that didn't seem to faze him in the 2nd biggest cobbled classic, now did it?
It could probably be said with most certainty that  Marcus Burghardt is the best rider purely on cobbles in this field. He is coming off 2nd in De Ronde, but other than that his classics season has been subpar. His team is also fairly weak, though he does have a lieutenant in Verbist.
East Midlands Classic winner  Sam Bewley has had the most consistent season of the favorites this year. in addition to his win he was 3rd in Ronde, 2nd in Omloop, and 5th in Gent Wevelgem. he also packs a huge powerful sprint. if there is still a small group going into the velodrome, you can bet on him. He's very capable of doing solo too though, as he did to win it last year.
Bpost do not have reason to be happy with  Vanspeybrouck's performances so far this season. He has not put up the results that his team would expect for his skill level. He was 6th last year, and he will want to improve on that. He has a good team behind him, led by Neils Albert.
 Tom Boonen is the king of cobbled races of the last 7 years. he may no longer be the greatest in terms of pure skill, but he still finds ways to win races, like he did in Omloop. He also has without a doubt the best team in the peloton to support him. Every rider on the team is a great domestique. Not to mention, Kluge, Nolf, and De Vocht could all be leaders in their own right. Pokerstars is loaded.
Good Energy bring  Adam Blythe, who has also underperformed. He is talented, a decent sprinter, and has Andrew Fenn in his back pocket for his voyage across the pave.
 Danny Summerhill is the top northern classics rider not from Europe, but he has also not been from the top 5 this year, usually finishing in the middle or back of the main bunch. You could chalk this up to a lack of help. he has 1 or 2 good teammates, but besides that, he basically has no support. Only the race will tell if he can overcome that.
Despite being a Pro Continental team, getting here on a wildcard,  Erico Franzoi and Team Hornbach have one of the strongest teams here. Along with him, they have Trentin and Veelers, along with other quality cobbles domestiques. They are the strongest team besides Pokerstars in the race. If they play their cards right, it is entirely possible we could see a PCT winner of this year's Roubaix.
Frenchmen  Sibilla has a lot of raw talent on the cobbles, but not much to back that up. He doesn't have the stamina and endurance, or power to ride the race as a whole, and for that he struggles to get results. But he could surprise, and it's best to at least acknowledge this raw talent.
 Vladimir Gusev leads for Pendelton's. He is a good all round rider, but he has next to no sprint. This can lead to some very disappointing results, such as getting 31st at the very back of the peloton in Ronde. He needs to get into a solo or small move to get a good result.
German outfit Rothaus - Aegon brings a squad led by  Sep Vanmarcke. He got a surprising 4th place last week, and with experienced veteran Allessandro Ballan by his side, a similar result this week would not be a surprise.
 Ruben Zepuntke is a lot like Sibilla. He has raw cobbles talent, but lacks the other necessary abilities that go with it.  Pieter Jacobs fits that category just as well.
Also worth a mention are AMEXpc, another PCT who reaqlly like cobbles and so received dossier for a wildcard. Both  Eisel and Breschel regularly win things on the PCT level, so they could also put in a good ride.
Other teams aren't cobbles oriented at all, so they are using the race just to give their lesser guys some race days.
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| roturn |
Posted on 26-07-2014 14:50
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I really hope that the team depth will deliver me a top10 here.
Vanmarcke surely won`t be able to follow Cancellara, Bewley, Boonen and Burghardt. But behind those everything is possible I think.
In a reduced sprint he proved in the Ronde to be able to fight for a great result.
With huge selection it`s about daily form.
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| beagle |
Posted on 26-07-2014 17:41
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Great to see P-R right after RvV. Hopefully Boonen will improve his result from last week!!
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 26-07-2014 17:43
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This has everything to be a hell of a race. Hopefully it is. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 09-12-2025 04:48
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| ember |
Posted on 26-07-2014 17:59
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This will be very interesting. It looks wide open for the win, but perhaps Bewley can get it?
And also, Breen for the breakaway anyone? 
Looking forward to the report! |
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| Smowz |
Posted on 26-07-2014 18:52
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Will be interesting to see the tactics play out here. Thrilled with tour of Flanders victory this does make me greedy king tom is past it - bewley is the danger man for me. Hoping burgermeister will work with fab once more 
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| CountArach |
Posted on 27-07-2014 02:20
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I have learned that the top 30 is all I can expect from the million or so dollars of my budget I have invested in these races.
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| Heine |
Posted on 27-07-2014 07:10
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Bewley to take this... Without the hills of Vlaandern he is the strongest
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 27-07-2014 14:57
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Don't expect the report very quickly. Have a couple of things to do in the next couple of days. probably Tuesday or Wednesday.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Mhaley45 |
Posted on 27-07-2014 16:11
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AMEXpc returns for their 3rd wildcard invitation of the season. Bernhard Eisel already has two wins on the PCT this season but he looked off form last week. Matti Breschel is having a strong season with several top 10 finished including last week on the PT.
AMEX's best chance will be a mid-race attack by Matti Breschel that stays away late and that the chase damages the sprinters legs, while Bernhard Eisel sits back and saves his sprint legs. Then he just might have a top 5 finish in him and if we really dream a podium finish.
My favorite race in PCM and in real life. I hope the weather is dismal and the paves slippery. The way a "Hell of the North" should be contested.
I feel sorry for those riders on the non-cobble teams who have to suffer with no chance at glory. Have faith boys better days are on the horizon.
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Team Manager of AMEX - Navigon
Editor of the Cobbler
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| Roman |
Posted on 27-07-2014 16:45
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Bewley please! 
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| dave92 |
Posted on 27-07-2014 17:18
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Really hoping Summerhill can finally put something together and get into the top 5. Disappointing season from him so far.
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| niconico |
Posted on 28-07-2014 23:11
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If the Grand Tours don't go well for me this season is a travesty, meanwhile I'll enjoy following races like this one!
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| SotD |
Posted on 29-07-2014 15:11
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I really look forward to getting out of these cobbles
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| beagle |
Posted on 31-07-2014 23:11
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baseballlover312 wrote:
Don't expect the report very quickly. Have a couple of things to do in the next couple of days. probably Tuesday or Wednesday.
any update please?
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 31-07-2014 23:42
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Sorry. I underestimated the workload. The report has almost 90 screenshots. I am putting at least 3 hours into it every day. It's taking way longer than I thought.
That being said it is almost done and will definitely be out tomorrow.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| SotD |
Posted on 01-08-2014 07:52
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Maybe its only me, but I would prefer quantity over quality at this point, just to get some flow back in the game.
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| beagle |
Posted on 01-08-2014 13:58
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That's incredibly huge work, I' m looking forward to it!
But as SotD mentioned, I'd also prefer 5 races, each with 20 screenshots 
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 01-08-2014 14:37
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SotD wrote:
Maybe its only me, but I would prefer quantity over quality at this point, just to get some flow back in the game.
Sorry. Rest assured I wasn't trying to make it that long, I was just trying to make sure everything important was covered.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Smowz |
Posted on 01-08-2014 17:21
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Thanks bblover, love having such a great cobbled rider - these are always my fav classics. Very happy with a first and second from these.
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